Lonzo Ball joins a not-so-coveted group of Chicago Bulls point guards

The NBA has returned, as teams are in training camp and preseason games are underway very soon. For the Chicago Bulls, this has been a difficult period of time leading up to the return of the NBA.

All offseason, there have been questions about the status of point guard Lonzo Ball and his knee injury. On Tuesday, Ball told reporters something Bulls fans surely did not want to hear.

Being as transparent as he could, Ball told reporters that he can hardly run or jump, and that even going up the stairs is painful. With the way things are trending, Ball is now cemented in recent Bulls history.

This won’t be hard to believe, but the Bulls have not had a starting point guard play at least 85 percent of regular season games in over a decade. The most games played was by Rajon Rondo, with 69 of 82 games played back in 2016-2017.

In fact, to make matters worse, six of the last 11 seasons have featured the Bulls’ starting point guard starting a maximum of 56 percent of regular season games. Take a look, for yourself.

Lonzo Ball has joined a not-so-prestigious list in Chicago Bulls history; a list which pains fans to see.

It has become something Bulls fans are used to at this point. Dating all the way back to when Derrick Rose first got injured, the Bulls have been an injury-plagued team at the point guard position.

Of course, there was no bigger heartbreak out of this group than to see the downfall of Rose in Chicago. That was as painful and gut-wrenching as any sports injury situation we’ve seen in recent years.

Back to Ball, though, and if he doesn’t play at all this season, then his situation becomes almost identical to Rose who ended up missing an entire season after going down with a knee injury.

No one wants to think this way, but what if Ball doesn’t end up playing this year? Worse yet, what if his career is in question at this stage?

Thankfully, the Bulls did sign veteran Goran Dragic and also drafted Arizona point guard Dalen Terry in the first round this year. In a way, they had to have seen a world where Ball did not return this season, therefore Arturas Karnisovas and Marc Eversley prepared the team for such a circumstance.

With training camp underway and preseason action just days away, the focus has to shift to the guys who are on the roster and healthy enough to play. Everyone is wishing Ball health and success, of course, but now the Bulls are at a crossroads. It’s time to assume Ball is done for this season and work with the guards they have available.